Altura Cigars Takes Tobacco Growing to New Heights

Altura Cigars is taking a distinctive approach to tobacco cultivation. According to founder Jacob Ifrach, the company grows its tobacco at around 1,350 meters above sea level, where cold temperatures and high humidity create unusually challenging conditions.

Much of the tobacco is cultivated in greenhouses, with the plants taking two to three times longer to grow than in traditional tobacco regions. Curing can last four to five months, while fermentation requires up to 18 months due to the low temperatures.

Ifrach compares the process to sous-vide cooking: low temperature, long time. He says this slow processing contributes to Altura’s distinctive flavor profile, characterized by rich and sweeter notes.

The company currently experiments with more than 100 tobacco varieties suited to the cold climate and grows its own wrapper, binder and filler on the farm.